Houses have been destroyed by the flood caused by the destroyed breakwater after a large typhoon and heavy rain hit western Japan, in Kihocho, Mie Prefecture, Japan, on 06 September 2011. The Nachikatsuura Town Mayor has announced that more than 500 houses in the town have been flooded. Across the country, 39 people have been found dead and 55 people are missing.

Kyodo / Reuters

Rescue workers search for missing people among the debris in Gojo, Nara Prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo on September 6, 2011.

Jiji Press / AFP - Getty Images

This photo taken on September 6, 2011 shows Japanese policemen searching for missing people in a house after flooding from Typhoon Talas hit the village of Tenkawa, Nara prefecture, in western Japan.

From msnbc.com news service:

TOKYO — Rescuers and search parties scoured central Japan on Monday as the death toll from the worst typhoon to hit the country in seven years climbed to 34, adding more misery to a nation still reeling from its catastrophic tsunami six months ago. Full story.